Orcas filmed making sunfish explode by ramming them at high speedThu, 23 Jul 2026 04:00:00 +0000 Orcas have been seen smashing into sharp-tail sunfish so hard that the fish bursts into thousands of fragments, perhaps as a form of play as well as food processing | |
More than a gut feelingThu, 23 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Long overlooked, the connection between our gut microbes and brain is yielding new insights into mental health | |
Why open-source software can be both good and badWed, 22 Jul 2026 17:00:00 +0000 Software that is free to use creates many opportunities – not all of which are good | |
This twisty sci-fi thriller is a fantastic debut from Isabel J. KimWed, 22 Jul 2026 17:00:00 +0000 Sublimation, in which a person can split into two when crossing an international border, is tip-top stuff. Don't miss it, says science-fiction columnist Emily H. Wilson | |
Sunshine can help with some serious health problems, argues a new bookWed, 22 Jul 2026 17:00:00 +0000 While Europe’s heatwave makes us run for shade, the intriguing In Defense of Sunlight reveals sunlight’s health-giving effects – in moderation, says David Robson | |
Twisteddoodles on children’s flexible earsWed, 22 Jul 2026 17:00:00 +0000 This week's cartoon from Twisteddoodles | |
Tom Gauld on artificial cellsWed, 22 Jul 2026 17:00:00 +0000 Tom Gauld's weekly cartoon | |
Why do fictional geologists keep getting killed off in movies?Wed, 22 Jul 2026 17:00:00 +0000 Feedback is surprised to learn that geology is a particularly deadly speciality to pick if you're a fictional character, with a new study revealing an "alarming rate" of mortality for geologists in films | |
This week’s new questionsWed, 22 Jul 2026 17:00:00 +0000 What is the optimal way to ice a cocktail: fewer big cubes or lots of small ones? And what is the smallest creature that needs to sleep, and what does this tell us about the nature of and need for sleep itself? | |
Are flies following a strategy when they keep hitting a window? Part 2Wed, 22 Jul 2026 17:00:00 +0000 Readers take issue with a former answer to this question, arguing for the different behaviour of wasps and flies – and for a more defined plan of escape than has previously been posited | |